Chapter 4: Community and Private Sector Participation

Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board (STC) is a public organization that was established in 1969 by Chemung, Schuyler and SteubenCounties under Articles 12-B and 5-G of the New York State General Municipal Law. As a regional council, STC seeks to promote coordination among the neighboring counties and to provide a regional approach to those concerns crossing geographic and political boundaries. For the last 42 years, STCRPDB has utilized a regional approach to planning and economic development.

STC has been designated as the region’s Economic Development District since 1975 and has been a Local Development District for the Appalachian Regional Commission since 1970. In that time, STC has been able to successfully fund hundreds of valuable projects throughout the community and the greater Southern Tier area.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) has been developed in accordance to the guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration pursuant to 13 C.F.R. part 303 and through the active input the CEDS Committee. The Board has also designated the Economic Development Policy Committee as a working CEDS subcommittee. Members of the CEDS committee, and other leaders in the business community were interviewed individually, between December 2010 and March 2011; the comments collected from those interviews provided substantial insight into this complete re-write of the CEDS. Thus, the CEDS has been prepared with broad-based representation from the public, economic/business, employment/training, and special interest sectors.

As an Economic Development District, STC is in compliance with all applicable Civil Rights Regulations and Guidelines. ChemungCounty has by far the largest minority population in the Region, as suchthe Chemung County Executive, has made a minority appointment to the STC Board.

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STC Regional Programs and Activities

STC staff are integrated into many projects across our three county region. Through the involvement of the STC staff with these projects, STC staff is able to provide valuable information to the CEDS process. The observations, insights, and recommendations of STC’s staff were included in this CEDS, as a result of their activities with the following programs:

Economic Development Planning

Economic development programs and services include strategic planning, technical assistance to communities and agencies for ARC and EDA economic development grants, an Entrepreneurial Loan Program, preparation of county and regional economic profiles and coordination with economic development agencies and organizations within each of the three counties.

Community Planning

Community planning services include assistance with site planning, subdivision reviews, industrial site development, master plan updates, hazard mitigation planning, floodplain management, zoning updates and environmental reviews.

Flood Assistance

STC provides technical assistance to local governments and the public with flood mitigation, flood warning,stormwater management, stream corridor protection, and risk communication. STC also promotes improved state and federal policies for managing flood risks and reducing future damage.

Transportation Planning

Transportation services include coordination of regional highway, transit, aviation, water and rail transportation planning. STC works closely with the Elmira Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the Schuyler-Steuben Transportation Committee.

Human Services Planning

STC provides planning and technical assistance to communities, agencies and industries in the areas of workforce support, child care, health care, and the development of workforce skills and training. STC prepares an annual human service needs assessment, provides grant assistance for Appalachian Regional Commission human service proposals and serves as a clearinghouse for human services information.

Local Government Assistance and Training

Services include targeted information, assistance and training for local government officials and community leaders. An annual Regional Leadership Conference is held each year and offers training, information and resources for the region’s local government officials.

Telecommunications

Services include planning, coordination of telecommunications infrastructure throughout the region. STC completed a recent telecommunications study and will continue to support the implementation of the recommendations.

Environmental Planning

STC provides planning and technical assistance to partners involved in protecting and utilizing the region's water resources. This program supports local communities, stormwater coalitions, watershed organizations, county water quality committees, state agencies, and others. STC is taking the lead on developing an ecosystem-based watershed management plan for the Susquehanna and ChemungBasins of New York.STC works with local communities and coordinates with the Seneca Lake Partners in FiveCounties (SLAP-5), the Upper Susquehanna Coalition, Friends of the ChemungRiver Watershed, and County Water Quality Coordination Committees.

Technical Assistance to Communities

STC provides services to local communities including shared service studies, community surveys, grant development, locally developed projects and downtown revitalization.

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Wind Energy Assistance to Communities and Businesses

STC provides direct assistance and training for communities and businesses in cooperation with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).

Local Government Assistance and Training

Information Technology Services

STC offers information technology services to local governments and non profit organizations including computer assistance, training, networking, industrial site finder, mapping and GIS services.

Research and Data Services

STC maintains current information on federal and state grant programs, researches specified subjects and issues, and acts as a regional clearinghouse and NYSAffiliatedDataCenter for Census information, labor and industry information, and demographic data.

Energy/ Natural Gas Development Services

STC assists with energy impacts for the southern tier region (Schuyler, Steuben, and ChemungCounties) of NY. This includes technical support and assistance for county natural gas task forces and assisting municipalities as they prepare for the advancing natural gas industry.

Sustainability/Livability Planning

STC staff is prepared to address livability concerns throughout the STC region. The specific focus of these ‘sustainability activities’ has been to include local sustainability analysis and livability principals in strategies and plans produced by/with STCRPDB.

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Figure 4.1: STC Network Diagram

Table 4.1: STC Annual Calendar

Monthly meetings:

STC Board Meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month, at 4:30pm.
STC Budget and Personnel Committee meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month, at 4:00pm.
The Economic Development Policy Committee meets upon call of the Chair.
The Regional Human Services Committee meets upon the call of the Chair.
The Physical Resources Advisory Committee (PRAC) meets the second Wednesday, every other month, at 1:15pm.
Regional Leadership Conference Committee meets monthly from September through June, the third Wednesday of the month, at 1:30pm.

January

PRAC Meeting
Complete final project reporting for prior year
Semi-Annual progress report to ARC

/ February

STC completes EDA supplemental

application / March

PRAC Meeting
DDAA/ARC conference WashingtonDC, staff and board members attend
EDA infrastructure applications due
STC annual audit

April

STC’s Regional Leadership Conference
ARC project announcement from NYSDOS, STC promotes ARC to municipalities
EDA mid-point progress and financial reports due

/ May

PRAC Meeting
Work with ARC applicants to ensure the applications are complete

/ June

Completed ARC applications are due to STC
EDA infrastructure applications due

July

PRAC Meeting
Economic Development Policy Committee meets and reviews the ARC applications.
Semi-annual ARC progress report due

/ August / September

PRAC Meeting
EDA mid-point progress report due
EDA infrastructure applications due

October

ARC quarterly progress report due
Write ARC administrative grant application
EDA Financial reports due

/ November

PRAC Meeting
Data collection for CEDS
ARC final report due
STC Budget approval

/ December

EDA infrastructure applications due

Economic Development Policy Committee

The Economic Development Policy Committee (EDPC) is a committee of the Board and serves as a sub committee for the preparation, monitoring, and updating of the CEDS. The committee also prioritizes projects submitted for funding through the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Economic Development Administration and assists with the design and implementation of the STC economic development program.

The EDPC is comprised of 23 members. Twelve of those members are STC Board Members. The remaining membership is filled by representatives from County Industrial Development Agencies, County Planning Boards, and private and local development organizations.

Representing STC Board

Name County Race/Gender

Mark AlgerSteuben C/M

Ted BennettChemung C/M

Amy DlugosSteuben C/F

Dennis FaganSchuyler C/M

Tom GiffordSchuyler C/M

James JohnsonSteuben C/M

Ernest HartmanChemungC/M

Danielle HautaniemiSchuylerC/F

Timothy O’HearnSchuyler C/M

Robert NicholsSteuben C/M

Randy ReidChemung B/M

Mark RyckmanSteuben C/M

Tom SantulliChemung C/M

Tom TranterChemung C/M

George WelchSteuben C/M

Representing County Industrial Development Agencies/Development

Organizations/Planning Boards

NameAgency/Organization Race/Gender

Jack BenjaminThree Rivers Development CorporationC/M

Stephen DennisCity of Corning Planning DepartmentC/M

Amy DlugosSteubenCounty Planning DepartmentC/F

Danielle HautaniemiSchuylerCounty Planning DepartmentC/F

James JohnsonSteubenCountyIDAC/M

Kelsey JonesSCOPED, Inc.C/M

Diane LantzREDECC/F

George MinerSouthern Tier Economic Growth (STEG)C/M

Randy OlthofChemungCounty Planning DepartmentC/M

Daniel PorterCSS Workforce DevelopmentC/M

Joseph RomanEmpire State Development CorporationC/M

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee

The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Committeeis a committee appointed by the Board and is responsible for developing, revising, or replacing the CEDS. The Strategy Committee is comprised of 15 members. Private sector is represented by a majority of the members. Labor groups and institutions of higher education are also included in the CEDS Strategy Committee.

Representing the Public Sector

NameCommittee Role Race/Gender

Mark AlgerPublic Official C/M

Ted BennettCommunity Leader C/M

Tom GiffordPublic Official C/M

Timothy O’HearnPublic Official C/M

Mark RyckmanPublic Official C/M

Tom SantulliPublic Official C/M

Representing the Private Sector

NameCommittee Role Race/Gender

Amy DlugosPrivate Sector C/F

Dennis FaganPrivate Sector C/M

James JohnsonPrivate Sector (IDA) C/M

Robert NicholsPrivate Sector C/M

Randy ReidPrivate Sector B/M

Tom TranterPrivate Sector C/M

George WelchPrivate Sector C/M

Representing other Major Community Interests

NameCommittee Role Race/Gender

Ernest HartmanLabor Representative C/M

Danielle Hautaniemi Institution of Higher EducationC/F

STC Board of Directors

The STC Board of Directors is comprised of 24 publicly elected officials and special interest representatives. Since matching funds for the federal grants supporting STC come from county government, the charter requires a 52 percent majority be filled by locally elected officials. Each county legislative body elects its own membership to fill the "elected official" slots on the Board. The balance of the Board's membership is comprised of regional special interest representatives confirmed by the Board upon recommendation of the Chair.

NameTitle County Race/Gender

Mark AlgerAdministrator SteubenCounty C/M

Kathryn BartholomewEnvironmental Representative Schuyler County C/F

Theodore BennettLegislator ChemungCounty C/M

John BurinMunicipal Representative ChemungCounty C/M

Amy DlugosPlanning Department Steuben County C/F

Donna DraxlerLegislator Chemung County C/F

Dennis Fagan, Chair, Legislature, STC V.Chair SchuylerCounty C/M

Stewart Field, Jr.Legislator SchuylerCounty C/M

Thomas GiffordLegislator SchuylerCounty C/M

James JohnsonBusiness Representative SteubenCounty C/M

Ernest HartmanLabor Representative ChemungCounty C/M

Joseph J. HauryskiChair, Legislature, STC Chair SteubenCounty C/M

Danielle HautaniemiPlanning Department Schuyler County C/F

Shawn HoganMunicipal Elected Official SteubenCounty C/M

Robert NicholsRegional Ag Representative SteubenCounty C/M

Timothy O’HearnAdministrator SchuylerCounty C/M

Randy ReidSm. Business/Minority Rep. ChemungCounty B/M

Mark Ryckman Municipal Representative SteubenCounty C/M

G. Thomas Tranter Industrial Representative ChemungCounty C/M

Scott Van EttenLegislator SteubenCounty C/M

George Welch, Jr.Legislator SteubenCounty C/M

Codes:

C=Caucasian B=Black F=FemaleM=Male

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